Former Genesis frontman and all around guilty pleasure Phil Collins has announced that at age 57 he will be cutting his losses and retiring.

His recently completed Genesis reunion tour will be his last live show, and he will not be releasing any more albums. 

His newly found free time will be split between writing songs (I guess for other artists?) and working on his little known hobby-collecting Battle of the Alamo memoribilia….

Whatever floats your boat buddy…it’s good to go out while ya still got it.

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Digital formats now account for 23 percent of US-based recording revenues, according to figures published by the RIAA. The percentage was packaged into a larger breakdown of shipments and revenues in 2007, an report now available at riaa.com.

The digital percentage represents a serious bump from year-ago figures of 16.1 percent - and 9 percent in 2005. Part of that gain comes from increased sales of assets like iTunes downloads, though a meltdown in CD sales is naturally ramping digital percentage gains. For the period, CD shipments dropped 17.5 percent to 511.1 million units, or $7.45 billion in revenues. In terms of revenues, the CD-based drop represents a 20.5 percent slide.

On the digital and mobile side, the breakdown also revealed some softening trends. Mobile formats - including master ringtones, full-track mobile downloads, and ringback tones - moved to 361 million units, a 14.6 percent gain. That is far more subdued than year-ago gains of 85.3 percent. Paid downloads moved to 809.9 million, a 38.1 percent gain, softer than a year-ago jump of 59.8 percent.

The report can be found at http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/stories/042708riaa

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The fun never stops when you’re Amy Winehouse. 

After many boughts of public craziness, some more drug doing caught on tape, and allegations of cheating on her “beloved” and incarcerated Blake…with her manager’s assistant Alex Haynes, Daddy Winehouse is speaking out on the drastic measures he’s taking to help is daughter.

He spoke out to the UK’s news of the world in an open letter:

“I want her sectioned (institutionalized). The situation is getting out of control. I want her off the street. I don’t think being somewhere for six weeks is going to cure her problems. I think it needs far more radical measures. We will take the bull by the horns and deal with it. I’ve been on the phone to Amy’s manager in Los Angeles and he’s starting things rolling. They are going to be speaking to doctors, psychologists and everything else. I want Amy to be somewhere where she will be safe and where no harm can come to her. Obviously as her dad I will try and do what’s best for her. Unfortunately, what I think is best for Amy and what she thinks is best for her are two different things.”

And then confirmed the reports regarding Amy’s cheating ways, and why this rings the distress alarm surrounding her handlers:

“I am shocked. His job was to look after Amy. I asked him to stay with Amy while she was recording… This was not part of the job! I don’t like infidelity. But Alex could be the victim in all this. I can’t ever imagine Alex seducing Amy. He looks like Clark Kent. It was clearly the other way round and Amy had her wicked way with him…”

Some may criticize Mitch for speaking so candidly and openly to the media…but if we all remember correctly last time the Winehouse parentals reached out to Amy through the media…she went to rehab (even if only for a day or 2).  If they can’t reach Amy, I don’t see the harm in garnering the support of a nation (or 2).

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You read that right. Jay-Z, the Jigga Man, H-to-the-Izzo, Mr. Beyonce Knowles, made a diss record about DeShawn Stevenson that was played at the D.C. night spot Love on Friday night, according to several witnesses. I have not heard the song or the lyrics but I was told that Jay-Z freestyled over the beat for the track, “Blow The Whistle” by rapper Too Short. The beat is hot, and if you want to know how that beat goes at least, click on this. This is hilarious. Especially when you consider that the only reason Soulja Boy and Jay-Z are mentioned in this series is because James said responding to Stevenson “would be like Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy.” Now Jay-Z is saying something bad about Stevenson. I guess DeShawn won’t be playing for the New Jersey Nets any time soon, huh?

Full article here

And here’s the song for you…ENJOY

Jay Z “Blow The Whistle”

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Lil Wayne ft. Young Jeezy - Lollipop (Remix)

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NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Got a passion for buying sneakers? It could be a good sign, with a poll finding that people who buy three pairs of sneakers or more a year are far more likely to be a leadership type than other people.

Mindset Media, a media company that examines personality traits of different consumers, found that people who buy more than three pairs of sneakers a year are 61 percent more likely to have the qualities of a modern leader.

These qualities were defined as having ideas and vision, and a style with others that is both inclusive and decisive.

The survey of 7,500 people, using market research group Nielsen’s online panel, found multi-sneaker buyers were 50 percent more likely to be very assertive and 47 percent more likely to be spontaneous.

Lauren Arvonio, a spokeswoman for Mindset Media, said sneaker buyers were more likely to fly by the seat of their pants.

“It is often said you can tell a lot about a person by the shoes they wear, and now we have some hard data to back that up,” Arvonio told Reuters.

“What is interesting is that these personality traits held true across the board, regardless of age, income, or gender.”

Previous Mindset Media surveys found that people who pay their credit card bills off each month were more likely to be “highly deliberate,” thinking through their actions, but also less modest than others, likely to brag about their habits.

Hybrid car owners were found to be 78 percent more likely to be highly creative than other people and less dogmatic.

From Yahoo News 

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Another rock & roll marriage is in the works…the third for Carmen Electra.

Carmen and now fiance Rob Patterson, the guitarist for Korn, have confirmed reports that a wedding is on the horizon. 

Reportedly Rob made it official with a black diamond surrounded by white diamonds-keeping the tradition while adding a little of their personal style. 

This is Carmen’s third engagement, and if she makes it there, will be her third wedding. 

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